§ 18-10-01 — Petition for establishment

Whenever sixty percent of the freeholders residing in any rural territory, equivalent in area to
one township or more, elects to form, organize, establish, equip, and maintain a rural fire
protection district, they shall signify such intention by presenting to the county auditor of the
county or counties in which such territory is situated, a petition setting forth the desires and
purposes of such petitioners. Such petition must contain the full names and post-office
addresses of such petitioners; the suggested name of the proposed district, the area in square
miles [kilometers] to be included therein, and a complete description according to government
survey, wherever possible, of the boundaries of the real properties intended to be embraced in
the proposed rural fire protection district. The petitioners shall also present to the county auditor
a plat or map showing the suggested boundaries of the proposed district and shall deposit with
the county auditor a sum sufficient to defray the expense of publishing the notices required by
sections 18-10-02 and 18-10-03. Provided, further, that any city located within the area, whether
such city has a fire department or not, may be included in the rural fire district if sixty percent or
more of the qualified electors residing therein sign such petition.